Speaker: Nathan Wallach
Please introduce yourself and include what MTSU program(s) you completed. Why did you choose the program? What were your favorite aspects?
Nathan Wallach: My name is Nathan Wallach class of 2009 and 2010. Currently the Assistant Athletic Director for Broadcast Technology and Game Operations here at Middle Tennessee State University. In 2009, I graduated with a bachelor's in science from the Mass Comm department, now the College of Media and Entertainment with a concentration in Video Production. In 2010, I graduated from Health and Human Performance with a master's in Sports Management. I chose my undergrad degree because originally I came here to do animation, realized I wasn't that good of a, of an artist. So I fell in love with video production and live, live video production and went down that path to graduate in 2009 through a roommate of mine met Dr. Colby Jubenville and got connected with him. He told me that sports management program wasn't really sure what I was gonna do next after college and thought that that was a great opportunity to get my master's, get into the sport industry and started in Blue Raider Athletics in 2009 and it just kind of has grown to what it is now that that I'm doing my favorite aspects of college was just the overall growth. Someone had once told me that what you learn in college is only about 30, 40% in the classroom and I, you know, really believe that MTSU gave me the opportunity to grow as a person, as an individual to figure out what really drove me with, with without other people, other influences in my life. I got to truly carve my own path. I can directly correlate where I am today, to go into convocation my freshman year, through the people I met, the classes, the random encounters on campus. And, I can definitely say that I wouldn't be where I am today without taking that first step and going to convocation.
What takeaways did you get from MTSU and the program that have impacted your career?
Nathan Wallach: I'm very fortunate to be in a career path that directly relates to both of my degrees from MTSU. Currently, I'm overseeing the live production and in venue digital displays, along with game operations for Blue Raider Athletics. My undergrad degree in video production has really given me the ability to understand the technology behind that. We're currently utilizing some older technology and being able to really understand the workflow there along with having the skill sets that I learned from Mark Parrish and Dennis O'Neill and Bob Gordon have given me the the knowledge to take our technical side into the 21st century and beyond were very, I'm very fortunate in this Build Blue Campaign to be able to be designing a brand new control room and new video boards for our fan base and our student athletes. And, and I wouldn't be able to do that without my undergraduate degree. And then transitioning over into my master's program Dr. Jubenville, really taught us how to critically think through situations and issues and ethics and in the sport industry and being able to, you know, understand facility management and ADA compliance and the operational side. The, the stuff, you don't learn the textbook how to critically think in a situation and be able to think on your feet. And both of my degrees have directly impacted my career right now. And I've been very fortunate to be able to blend both of those into my everyday work.
Do you have any advice for prospective or future graduate students? Is there anything else you'd like to say?
Nathan Wallach: My advice for perspective and future graduate students is, don't be scared. Just jump right in and learn and be willing to adapt to everything that's going on even within the very specialized graduate programs that are offered here at MTSU you can still find your own path in your own niche and your own connections. I would say above all else, no matter what you're doing, is really get out there and do networking, a lot of industries in this world are built and you develop and grow through based on who you know more than what you know at times, so put yourself out there, learn from others, you know, carve your own path and and just enjoy the process and you will get out of it what you're willing to put into it. It is difficult at times. Uh financially, there are a lot of programs out there, there's grad assistantships, there's grants, you know, that there's a lot of money out there that goes unused, you know, if you just are willing to put in the legwork, but I would really stress to, you know, do it. It is, it will only pay dividends. My grandfather once told me that, you know, you can lose everything in life, you know, finances and house and all that, but they can't take your education from you, so get yourself educated, go through the process and it is a lot more than just a piece of paper. Is there's anything else I'd like to say? Just enjoy the process, take a leap of faith, trust yourself, understand that graduate school is completely different than undergrad. I was not a great undergraduate student, unfortunately, I just wasn't, but I excelled in grad school. I did an incredible job. That was an incredibly hard year and a half process. I graduated my, with my undergrad in May of 2009 and I graduated my Master's in December of 2010, so I was able to take summer school, you know, both sessions and really hit it hard and I, and I don't regret it at all, just get out there and do it.
